


Neverland

by commandmetobewell



Series: A New Life on the Ground [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alpha Lexa, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass Clarke, Blood and Gore, Demons, Drama, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Omega Clarke, Protective Lexa, Shapeshifting, Soulmates, Supernatural Elements, Suspense, War, Wolves, and indra is just so fucking done with everyone, and wells lives too because why the hell not, anya and gustus are alive because they are sarcastic asshole best friends and deserved better, bellamy isn't a sack of dicks and finn isn't flaming bag of poop, but it's a twist on it, lexa and luna are sassy and brooding sisters that fuck shit up together, no finn/raven background either, so there's no real animosity amongst trikru and skaikru, takes place before anything bad happens with the sky rats blowing shit up, the same can't be said about the other clans though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-07-29 22:00:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7701316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandmetobewell/pseuds/commandmetobewell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke had imagined many different things that she'd find on Earth when she'd been locked up.</p><p>However, a chestnut-haired, mossy-eyed century old angel/werewolf hybrid woman, who just so happened to be the commander of the most massive army she'd ever seen, was definitely not one of those different things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello yes it is me, the one who starts stories and can't seem to finish them, but I have another story idea and I like it quite a bit but have no idea what to do with it but kinda do at the same time. This is it.
> 
> If you're not into mythology and lore and that kinda stuff this might not be for you, but I hope it's okay!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke finds something, or rather someone, strange in the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like most of my works, this was based off a weird dream I had and I don't entirely know what I'll do with it but I do want to continue it in some sort of fashion. I just had to write it out because it was nagging me for weeks and I couldn't help it. Also I was inspired by the first four Assassin's Creed soundtracks, lmao. 
> 
> Anyways, my other stories will be updated shortly, do not fret. I have not forgotten them.
> 
> I hope you guys like this thing… whatever it is, lol.

When they first land on Earth, the soil is damp and the forest is so green and the sun so bright and warm that it blinds them.

Clarke forgets about Well's betrayal, her father's death, and her mother's final, tearful goodbye, if only for a moment.

As she stares into the never-ending trees and smells the scent of pine and humid air, she feels free.

She feels at home.

x-x-x-x

"We need food," Bellamy is the first to tell her, gruff and dominant as he prowls around the camp like a guard dog. "We need to leave the Drop Ship."

"We don't know what's out there," Clarke argues back, a bit miffed that he's being so brash when they've just landed. "We have to prepare."

"For what?" He asks, cocking his brow. Clarke feels a shiver tingle down her spine as the breeze carries through her body and flicks at her hair. She glances back to the forest, peering into the unknown that both calls to her and scares her to no-end. She takes a breath and steadies herself as she looks back at Bellamy.

"For anything."

x-x-x-x

That night, after going through some berries and nuts they'd scrounged up around the campsite, Clarke lays awake, sitting up on a log near the fire. She stares into the fire-pit and wonders about everything in her life. She thinks of her mother and if she'd be okay, if the Ark is still trying to solve the oxygen problem. She wonders if Thelonius has noticed his son's absence, or if somewhere in those vast band of stars and galaxies, her father's dead body still floats.

Wells sits next to her, his face a warm brown from the orange glow of the flames. His eyes are narrowed on the ground at his feet, his lips pursed into a straight line as he flickers his gaze from the embers of the fire to the bristling of the trees. Clarke feels so enclosed, so trapped despite the open space between them. All she can see is the calm smile on her father's face as he'd been floated, the defeated, sad expression in Well's eyes as she'd screamed at him for betraying her. It's too much to take, and the fact that Well's had somehow snuck onto the Drop Ship to 'protect her'? Clarke almost snorts at the words.

"Clarke?" Well's chokes on her name as he frowns in worry. "You alright?"

"Just swell," Clarke mutters back before standing and grabbing her jacket from the log. "I need to pee."

"You shouldn't--"

"I don't take orders from you," Clarke interrupts coldly, her eyes glaring into his with a fierce shake of her head. "I'll be back in five."

"Clarke," Well's sighs, like he wants to say more, but he admits defeat and nods, his eyes going back to the dirt with a focused stare. Clarke rolls her eyes.

"Go to sleep," she says in exasperation, as if speaking to a petulant child, "I'll be back soon."

x-x-x-x

Clarke doesn't wander too far from camp to conduct her business, but she still finds herself drawn into the lull of the calm green leaves of the trees.

The low, whistling-like hum is soothing and enchanting as she stalks through the blades of grass, smiling as they tickle her exposed ankles. She sighs and extends her arms, her fingers palming along the grooves of some of the trees, feeling the ridges and cracks in the wood and stickiness of the sap as it clings to her digits. It feels really calming, like it's a habit of second-nature, something that makes her feel like this was where she has always meant to be.

It's a few steps in that Clarke hears the soft crunch of leaves and her head whips up so fast she's unsure of how she'd not received whiplash.

There, just a few feet in front of her, stands a massive wolf with stormy green eyes and sharp, white teeth.

Clarke gulps as the creature stands, tail swishing against the forest floor as each breath exhaled from its muzzle creates a misty in front of its teeth. Clarke freezes, unsure of what to do. Part of her screams to run, but the logical part of her brain urges her to remember that wolves are faster and stronger.

Either way, Clarke deduces, she's a dead woman.

Deciding to accept her fate so sullenly, Clarke closes her eyes and whispers a final farewell to her mother under her breath. She grips the bark of the tree tightly and flinches, as if preparing for the stinging of claws or puncture of teeth against her skin. She counts backwards in her head to try and calm her anxiety, but nothing comes to ail her of the tense misery she's facing. Resigning against the suspense, Clarke blinks open her eyes again in confusion to see the wolf still waiting, now with its head cocked ever-so-slightly to the left and ears raised up. Its nose quivers and twitches, probably drinking in her scent.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Clarke growls as she steps forward, "just get it over with, will you?"

The wolf doesn't move, those piercing green eyes unblinking and steady.

Clarke rolls her eyes and grunts. "Fuck, just… just do something."

_And what would you have me do? Eat you?_

Clarke coughs on her own saliva at the sound of words leaving the wolf's lips, a raspy and feminine chuckle. She stares at the wolf, who's jaw parts and those teeth flash a Cheshire grin at the sight of her so surprised. At this point, Clarke contemplates her own sanity. _Maybe it was those nuts,_ she thinks lucidly. 

The wolf chuckles and pads forwards, and now Clarke can appreciate the size and beauty of the creature. The animal (thing?) is roughly six feet tall on all-fours, has a jet black pelt a distinct red streak of fur that starts at the top of its head, between its silver-furred ears, and ends in the small of its back. Its muscles are flexing cautiously, but remain relaxed as the creature comes forwards again. Again, another low rumble of a chuckle leaves its lips as it pants lightly.

 _I don't particularly crave the taste of humans,_ the wolf's voice resonates in her head as it stands before her with its head ducked, _especially not your kind._

"My kind?" _Am I really talking to a wolf now? Come on, Clarke._ "Are you not going to kill me?"

 _What would I gain with taking your life?_ The wolf responds sagely, taking a seat on its haunches to stare at her with an almost pensive expression.

"I…," Clarke stumbles over the words, frowning. "I don't know."

 _Then your question seems to be palpable nonsense_ , the wolf responds with a mirthful cock of its head. _And yet… you don't fear death?_

"Not my own," Clarke finds herself answering with a nonchalant shrug. _Great, now I'm talking to a wolf in the middle of nowhere. It must be the nuts._

 _Or_ I'm _going nuts_ , she thinks to herself with a snort. The wolf's muscles bristle and tense, a low growl emanating from its throat. Clarke flinches involuntarily and finds herself shiver in both fear and unwarranted arousal from the noise. The wolf turns, its tail swishing as it turns so it faces the opposite direction. Its tail is ramrod straight, no longer swishing back and forth, and its head is held high with its muscles tense, ready to pounce at any given moment.

Clarke gulps as the growling beast bares its teeth and unsheathes its long, black claws into the dirt.

And then suddenly, the wolf turns and narrows its green gaze into slivers. It crouches low enough for its belly fur to brush the ground. Its head nods to its back, motioning for Clarke to climb on. The blonde woman's brows raise in shock and she splutters, shaking her head incessantly as she holds her hands out.

"You're kidding," she huffs as she notes the sound of something approaching, "I've read Little Red Riding Hood, you know. I know how this'll end."

The wolf growls, like she's annoyed at her response, but does not move. _You join me, or you die. Your choice._

The sounds of thundering footsteps (or paw-steps) grow louder, and Clarke doesn't miss the impatient whine that leaves the wolf's lips as one of its ears flick. Growls and snarls sound in the distance, followed by shouting, and the wolf nudges her harshly with its muzzle. _Get on. If you do not, they will take you._

It's the blanched tone of fear that gets Clarke to move from her spot. Before she knows it, her fingers are curling into the softest fur she's ever felt, and she's hoisting herself up onto the creature's back. She gasps as she feels the wolf rise when she's finished straddling its muscled and rigid back. And then, the wolf's head is cocking over its shoulder to stare at her with a firm nod, before it turns back to face the forest with a low, but still intimidating, growl.

 _Good_ , it says to her, before mirthfully adding, _but now you'd best cover your ears._

"Cover my--"

Before Clarke can complete the question, the wolf throws its head back and a mighty howl echoes through the forest, causing the ground to vibrate and Clarke's ears to ring. She manages to clamp her palms over the shells of her ears before a deep growl follows, before the wolf barks menacingly at the blackness before them. The wolf's body is rigid still, its ears twitching as it closes its mouth and tries to hone in on the location of their supposed enemy.

 _Hold on tightly_ , the wolf commands in a low growl, _we must go. You are not safe here._

Clarke doesn't argue this time as she clamps onto the beast's fur. The wolf rockets forward and Clarke gasps at the sensation of the chilly wind nipping at her face. She buries her head into the soft fur and closes her eyes, clenching her teeth as she feels the wolf's muscles churn and flex as they thunder through the forest. It goes on for what seems like hours, until the wolf finally slows to a trot and leads them towards a rocky cliff, surrounded by a waterfall and lakebed.

As the wolf comes to a slow, barely panting with the exerted effort of running so quickly, Clarke feels back in control of her body.

"What the actual fuck," she mutters as she raises her head and looks around. "Where are we?"

 _Away from the beast,_ the wolf answers back cryptically before lowering itself back to the ground so Clarke may get off. _Your friends are in danger._

"And how do you know about my friends?" Clarke asks as she looks to the wolf, who paces back and forth before her. It pauses and nods its head up.

_I have been watching you since you landed. I have predicted your arrival for years._

Clarke is about to nod in response when the words crash into her. She double-takes and cocks her head, jaw open wide in shock.

"What do you mean, _for years_?"

 _I know of the people in the sky, of those who are still waiting to come down._ The wolf continues to spew mystic, trivial responses back at her. _Your people are facing an epidemic beyond their control. They sent children down to wage their wars, and in their place, many continue to lose their lives as a result of their pettiness. Those who have crucial knowledge are silenced, and those who have power wield it unwisely. You have now brought that same power here._

Clarke can't speak for a moment. But then, she finds her voice, hoarse and strangled.

"H-How…"

The wolf sighs before bowing its head. Instead of responding, it walks forward, its gait changing as it seems to shift before her eyes. 

Clarke watches in awe and shock as the wolf crunches into itself, letting out a low moan of pain as its bones shift and realign until the fur is receding into pale skin, and the canine fangs curl back into a normal set of human teeth. It doesn't take long before the wolf before her has transformed into… a woman?

And as Clarke looks closer, she blushes when she realizes that this woman is naked. And… has a pair of wings?

"You humans are always so prude," the woman grins as she flashes her a knowing smirk. "It seems as though nothing much has changed."

"W-Who are you?" Clarke stumbles on the words as she furiously avoids looking anywhere else but those viridescent eyes. " _What_  are you?"

"Your people have many names for me," the woman shrugs as she straightens out one of her wings and stretches her arms. "Angel, demon, creature, beast…"

"What is your name, then?" Clarke asks in a low rasp, still not able to believe the sight before her. The woman arches a brow and smiles.

"Aleksandria," she announces with a low purr. Clarke shivers at the sound and can't help but inch a little closer to the woman, her mind in a daze.

"And what are you, Aleksandria?" Clarke finds herself unable to refrain from asking. Aleksandria smiles and preens her wings outwards, revealing their sleek black feathers as the woman stands straight, chest puffed out and eyes narrowed in a firm stare filled with equal parts intimidation and mirth.

"I am my namesake," she says as she points to the ground around her, "I am the guardian of the Earth."

"And how do you have _wings_?" Clarke splutters. "Just… what the fuck?"

"I am not human," the woman says almost salaciously. "I am the universe's creation. I am… _special_."

"You definitely do not lack modesty," Clarke adds with a bit of a snort. "And just so you know, I don't know how to get back to camp, _universal creation_."

Aleksandria frowns and crosses her arms across her chest, her wings flapping in annoyance. "Mockery is not the product of a strong mind, Clarke."

At that, Clarke's brows raise. "How do you know my name?"

As Aleksandria goes to answer, another low howl sounds through the trees. The woman tenses and shakes her head, lips curling in a low snarl.

"I must take you back to your camp," she mutters as she looks up at Clarke with a firm nod. "You must prepare your friends."

"For what?" Clarke asks, mouth agape with how the woman shifts back into her wolf form within minutes. Those green eyes stare into her own, firm and raw.

_For war, Clarke._

Before she can choke out a response, the wolf bounds forward and latches onto the scruff of her neck, biting gently.

And then, all that comes is darkness.

x-x-x-x

Clarke wakes up at the sound of Well's anxiously fretting over her, his long fingers prodding against her side.

"What?" Clarke demands with a grouchy mutter. "Leave me alone."

"What happened to you?" Wells asks with a shocked tone. "You look like you fell through a mud-pit."

"I'm fine, I just met this…," Clarke fumbles to explain just exactly what Aleksandria had been. She looks up to see Wells waiting patiently for an answer.

"Nothing," Clarke chooses to grumble instead, figuring Well's wouldn't believe her anyways. _I don't even believe myself,_ she thinks. She blinks up into the blaring sun before crawling up to stand, brushing off the streaks of dirt that cake the side of her jacket. The back of her neck is sore, but as she goes to cup her palm around where the wolf had bitten her, she's surprised to not find a trace of dried or fresh blood. Instead, there are two raised welts that ache lightly.

"I think I must've fallen," Clarke cooks up as a response as she shrugs at Wells. "I was tired last night."

Wells nods and looks away, eyes glazing over guilty. He swallows before choking out, "look Clarke, I'm… I'm sorry…"

"Don't," Clarke coldly stops him. "I already told you that I don't forgive you."

Wells' eyes burn with tears, but he still nods. He doesn't speak to her again, and instead mumbles a faint farewell. Clarke doesn't watch him go, for her mind is still caught up on the mysterious creature that had taken her last night. She finds herself questioning whether it all happened, but as she looks past the poorly built walls and into the vast abyss of the forest, she knows that it couldn't have been a confabulation. Aleksandria, no matter what she'd been, was real.

And so, she hastily goes off to find the one person whom she knows she must talk with, even if she dreads it.

x-x-x-x

Bellamy looks unamused when Clarke's done explaining the events of the previous night. His silence is perturbing and it makes Clarke's stomach churn.

Finally, he speaks. "You're sure you weren't just dreaming, Princess?"

Clarke fights the urge to groan, and instead she shakes her head and turns around so Bellamy can see the welts on the back of her neck. "Look at this."

"You could've just gotten stung by something."

"It wasn't that!" Clarke snaps angrily as she rounds on the man. "I know what I saw, and she knows about us, Bellamy. She knows about the Ark."

"That's ridiculous."

"I know," Clarke agrees, and Bellamy frowns, taken aback by her agreement. Clarke sighs and rubs her the bridge of her nose. "I _know_ , Bell. That's what makes this all the more unbelievable. I thought that same thing last night, but she knows about the oxygen problem on the Ark. She knows about our location, The Hundred, the politics being waged in space. She knows all these things and I swear to you on my life, she wasn't a figment of my imagination. She was real."

"Okay fine," Bellamy mutters, "let's imagine that she _was_ real. What if there are more like her out there? What if they want to kill us?"

"Then why would she warn us?" Clarke asks him, confused by her own question as well. "Why would she tell us to prepare for war?"

"They're just a bunch of kids," Bellamy shakes his head as he runs a hand through his messy hair. "We can't fight a war, Clarke."

Before Clarke can answer, the curtain to Bellamy's tent is drawn backwards and Finn's distressed brown eyes meet theirs. Clarke sighs, not wanting to deal with the space-walker's bullshit today, but Bellamy flicks his wrist and silently demands Finn to speak up. The man takes a gulp before looking between them both.

"There's someone at the gate," Finn chokes out in a rasp. "A woman. She's asking for… for Clarke."

Clarke freezes and Bellamy tenses up. The blonde cocks her head towards the older man, gulping nervously.

"She's here."

x-x-x-x

Hushed whispers surround her as Clarke walks through the camp.

_We're not alone?_

_Who is she?_

_Why is she wearing a cape?_

_Where did she come from?_

Clarke steels herself as she stands in front of the gate where Aleksandria is waiting. She's dressed in a long black coat, her eyes darkened by the heavy pattern of kohl around her cheeks and brows. Her hands are cloaked in silver-studded gloves and she wears tight, equally obsidian pants that hug her skin tightly. A ceremonial sword hangs by her waist and a pauldron is swung over her left shoulder, giving way to a cascading red drape that flows down to her feet. She holds herself with a seemingly regal manner, her eyes set with determination and a fire that leaves Clarke's mouth dry and her heart beating erratically.

"Clarke," the woman drawls with a curt nod, before nodding her head at the camp. "We meet again."

"What are you doing here?" Clarke coughs out as soon as the heat in her belly has calmed. Aleksandria's lips curl upwards only slightly.

"Your people face a great danger outside your walls," she remarks as she looks to the flimsy, make-shift gate. "Your defences are poor and you are few."

"Are you here to kill us?" Clarke asks, peering over the woman's shoulders to look for an army. The woman doesn't react to the slight jab.

" _Clarke_ ," she drawls out her name slowly, seemingly bored with the conversation. "I do not come as a harbinger of death. I come in peace."

"Are there more like you?" Clarke finds herself asking, thinking about Bellamy's previous point. "Are we being threatened by them?"

This causes Aleksandria to pause for a moment. She bites her lip, thinking furtively about her next response. It's a still silence, but then she speaks.

"Yes and no."

"Yes and no?" Clarke repeats, baffled. "What kind of answer is that?"

"I do not have time to explain," the woman tells her briskly. "We must move your people out of here and into my city's walls for safekeeping."

"You say that like we're sheep being herded into a slaughterhouse."

"I already told you that I do not eat humans."

"Just what is going on here, Lexa?" Clarke demands, unsure of how she'd managed to get a shortened name from the woman. It surprises her as much as it surprises the brunette standing before her. Blushing, Clarke looks away and mumbles to herself about how strange it had felt to feel comfortable with that name. _Lexa_ , she thinks, it's such a familiar taste on her tongue. She glances back up and tries to decipher the guarded look in those stormy green eyes.

"You landed in hostile territory, who's habitants have noted your arrival." Lexa's words are sharp and to the point. "You do not have time to linger. I can offer you protection, but once they arrive, a retaliation will prove difficult. I do not wish to spill unnecessary blood amongst my people, Clarke. My peace will hold."

"What do you mean, _your people_?" Clarke asks with raised brow. "You have control over the region that threatens us?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you call them off?"

"They are free to reign however they please, Clarke. My jurisdiction does not dictate their every move. Their land is their own. All they owe me is their allegiance during times of war, and to not cause altercations between neighbouring clans. You will find that our people live their lives routinely. Your addition is… hindering. You are on the prime area that grows rich with grain and borders the local water source. You have fallen into dangerous territory." Clarke chews her lip and contemplates Lexa's response. She paces back and forth a few times before she comes to stand before the woman with her hands on her hips.

"And what would happen should we come with you?" She asks, glancing back at her camp. "What becomes of my people?"

"That is something that will be discussed in Polis. We will summon a court that will decide upon the reallocation of your people in a safe manner."

"Polis?" Clarke asks, confused. Lexa's lips curl upwards slightly, almost in a proud gesture as her chest puffs out a bit.

"Yes," she replies with mirth, "it is the capital. I will take you and the delinquents there until a decision can be reached. It is the safest route."

As Lexa goes to turn away, Clarke reaches out and yanks on the crook of her elbow, her brows narrowed suspiciously. "How can you promise that?"

Lexa pauses, before her eyes grow playful and her grin becomes salaciously wide with confidence.

"Because," she answers in a low, rumbling purr. "I command all of them. My word is law, as is my coalition. _Ai laik Heda kom Kongeda._ "

And with that Lexa pulls back and jerks her chin up, her wings unfurling from behind her back in a grand display of obsidian feathers.

Without another word, she flies off into the sky, leaving Clarke in a dusty heap on the ground.

x-x-x-x

It takes a total of four hours, and some convincing mixed in with cajoling from Bellamy, for The Hundred to finally pack up their things.

Lexa's terrifying-looking warriors arrive that night with some horses and carriages. Those who'd been injured on the way down -- namely the ark's prodigal mechanic Raven, who'd arrived the evening before with news from her mother about the oxygen problem -- were riding in the carriage near the middle of the convoy, while the others walked alongside the parade of guards the Commander had enlisted to protect them on their journey to Polis. Clarke walks with Bellamy near the front with one of the grouchy-looking guards atop the brown mare, who's cheekbones look sharp enough to kill a man. Beside her is a dark-skinned woman with a star-shaped scar blooming around her left eye, who snorts incredulously each time one of the kids falls out of line.

"So…," Bellamy attempts to break the silence as he looks down at Clarke, "this _Commander_ … she's not human?"

"Not in the slightest bit," Clarke replies as she stares ahead at the looming shade of the forest. "She's… well, I'm not sure what she is."

"How did she know about us?" Bellamy murmurs as he looks to the line of people behind him. "And more importantly, how can we trust her?"

"I don't know," Clarke answers honestly, "but it's better than being unprepared in case of an attack."

"What if this is a trap?"

"What if it isn't?" Clarke challenges back, brows furrowed. _Why am I defending her? I barely know her._

And yet, something in the pit of her heart tells her otherwise.

"Enough," the woman on the horse growls impatiently. "You _Skaïkru_ talk too much."

"Sky-what?" Bellamy asks, cocking his brow. The warrior looks about ready to run her sword through his gut when the ground rumbles lightly. The guard looks upwards, her hazel eyes darkening as she notices something moving up ahead. Spurring her horse, she barks out something to a few of the guards before a group of them speed off to whatever approaches in the distance. The other warriors close in around the remaining children protectively, their swords raised.

They wait in a heavy, tense formation as howls and growls erupt in the distance. There's some shouting and screaming, followed by more beastly noises, before there is a loud thump and the sounds of heavy footsteps. The guards beside the convoy tense and grumble amongst themselves in preparation for an attack. Clarke presses herself next to Bellamy's side and the man protectively stands his ground, his head cocking over his shoulder to seek out his younger sister in worry. Luckily, he finds Octavia pressed up beside a tall, dark Grounder (they'd taken to calling these foreign people) guard that wields a bow and arrow.

It feels like forever until a horse comes trotting back towards the convoy, and Clarke finds herself relieved at the sight of the stoic guard with the fierce cheekbones riding back to her. The splash of blood splattered across her face is daunting, and Clarke's stomach flips when she sees the deep score that cuts through the midsection of her tunic. The scar-faced warrior with dark skin follows behind her, and both of them look royally pissed off, rather than pained.

"Come," the dark-skinned guard barks out roughly, "we are here."

The group quickly shuffles with the order, trying to stifle the whispering about the three missing guards that had accompanied the warriors. They trudge forward until the forest clears and a blinding light spills over their shoulders. The warriors push forward and, not wanting to be left to the fate of those who'd not returned, The Hundred follow quickly and quietly, grateful for the protection that they'd doubted initially. They're lead into the light, unaware of their surroundings until the harsh rays slowly let up, flanked by an intimidating and grandiose shadow that blankets them almost protectively.

Finally, Clarke allows herself to blink and look upwards, her jaw hinging open upon the site.  

Before her is a grand city, with walls raised as high as sky-scrapers she'd only seen in books during their history classes. The fortified city is upon the peak of a hill, heavily guarded and littered with archers and catapults at the tops. In the centre stands a tower that makes the massive shell of the city look like a toothpick. It's rickety and old-looking, but still somehow holding despite the many cracks and holes in the concrete. The entire place is enormous, and Clarke can't imagine how many people reside within those protective barriers, let alone the monstrous tower that sits in the middle of it all. 

"Clarke."

The blonde cocks her head upwards to see Lexa hovering in, blood coating the underside of her jaw and her fingers. Her wings flap lazily as she descends with the grace of an angel. Clarke notices that her canines are elongated and coated in the crimson liquid, hanging just past the curve of her bottom lip as they slowly rescind into her mouth. Instantly, Clarke knows that she must've been apart of whatever scuffle had taken place before they'd arrived at the city walls.

"Commander," Clarke says with a nervous smile. Lexa lands and crosses her arms behind her, back stiffening as she narrows her gaze at Bellamy. A low, rumbling growl sounds from her chest as she curls her lip menacingly at the boy, but Bellamy does his best to remain as unaffected as possible. Even then, he can't resist but to lower his gaze and tilt his neck unwillingly. Lexa doesn't smile at the result, but she doesn't growl anymore as she snorts, turning to Clarke.

As soon as those stormy green eyes lay upon hers, the woman relaxes and smiles lazily, nodding back to the city behind her.

"This is it, Clarke." Lexa's words are raspy and sweet as she nods her head upwards. "This is Polis, the capital of the twelve clans."

"It's… beautiful," Clarke offers in response, still in awe. Lexa grins at her response like she'd been patted on the back. Her chest puffs up again and Clarke can't help but inwardly find it adorable as hell. She finds herself inching towards the winged-woman, ignoring the indignant mutter of disapproval from Bellamy. 

Lexa notices her movement and that Cheshire smirk grows wider within seconds. She purses her lips and dips her head politely.

And then, with a soft rasp and a twinge of saccharine sweetness to her voice, she speaks.

"Welcome home, Clarke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll try to reply to the comments from all my fics as soon as I can. I've just been so busy and finding time to write, let alone reply back, is just really hard at the moment, my apologies. I hope this wasn't too awful and that it made a decent amount of sense. But thanks for giving it a shot if you did! :)
> 
> Much love, xx.


	2. A Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke arrives in Polis, meets Lexa's sister, and learns more about Earth's history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So essentially, Lexa's lifeline is equivalent to Liara's from ME. She's actually very young but not as naive. I don't even know if any of this is working, lol. I had a few drinks so I figured I would pump out a chapter for y'all.

Clarke and Lexa approach the gates of the massive concrete walls that surround Polis with leisured steps.

"Why are the walls so big?" Clarke asks, glancing over at the other woman. Lexa looks over at her with a blank expression.

"After the bombs dropped, the city was nearly in ruins. I and a few others built the walls to preserve whatever remained," Lexa explains with a steady voice. "It has sustained through many years of war. It is called the fortress for a reason. This is the capital for all twelve clans that reside in the neighbouring areas."

"Wait," Clarke stumbles as she catches up to Lexa's explanation. "The bombs dropped ninety-seven years ago."

Lexa arches a brow, seemingly confused. "Yes?"

Clarke shakes her head in disbelief. "So… that would mean you're almost one hundred years old."

"I am one-hundred and eight to be exact," Lexa says with a nonchalant shrug. "I am quite young, Clarke. Do not be fooled."

Before Clarke can reply, Lexa pauses and whips her head to face the forest, her nostrils flaring as she curls her lip in a snarl. Her black wings extend outwards and Clarke can't help but shrivel a little at the tension in the air. The convoy behind them pauses as the warriors watch their Commander carefully, weapons raised. Bellamy and Octavia look up from where they're standing close together, shaking and lowering their eyes almost in a uncontrollable response.

As Clarke goes back to Lexa, she watches as the Commander lets out another snarl before taking a few steps forward and then shifting into her wolf-form. She hears the gasps of her friends from behind her, but she ignores it. The sight of the massive black wolf sends shivers down her spine. Lexa's head nods up and her growls grow deeper, causing the ground to rumble with the force of them. Her tail, long and sleek, swishes back and forth as it's raised high in the air to display dominance. Her ears are perked up and her eyes narrowed into menacing slits as she continues to growl and snarl at the woods behind them.

Clarke is about to tell Lexa to calm down, but before she can speak, the grass near the woods bristle and out comes a pack of wolves, lead by an ember-brown speckled wolf with piercing hazel eyes. Upon seeing Lexa, the other wolf growls and barks and Clarke finds herself instantly stepping back, not wanting to be caught between the two beasts should there be a fight. Lexa snarls back, her chest rumbling as she stares down the opposing pack. 

Behind her, Clarke hears one of the warriors scoff.

"Seriously," the one with the sharp cheekbones mutters with an exaggerated eye-roll. "Every damn time."

Clarke raises her brows in confusion, but before she can question the warrior, Lexa takes off and sprints over to the other wolf, who meets her halfway. The two of them circle for a bit, snapping jaws and barking. Lexa, however springs up onto her hind legs, making the other wolf cower beneath her. Its head is pressed against the front of her broad chest, its tail drooping ever so slightly as Lexa continues to growl and snap her jaws at the fractionally smaller animal.

"Um," Bellamy chokes out awkwardly from behind her, "are they going to fuck or something?"

Clarke turns around, a furious blush spreading across her cheeks. The warrior with the star-shaped scar mutters something akin to a scorn under her breath and shakes her head. As she turns back to see Lexa, she notices that the mounting had merely been an assertion of dominance. The brown wolf is pushed to the ground by Lexa's muzzle and it exposes the soft ember-speckled fur of its belly upwards in submission, neck tilted to the side as it whines lowly.

"Finally," the taller warrior mutters in annoyance. Lexa moves away from the other wolf, shaking out her pelt before nosing the other wolf under its chin before bumping her muzzle against the animal's forehead, huffing. Clarke swallows and waits patiently as she watches Lexa shift back into her naked form. Bellamy coughs again and she swears she hears Octavia wolf-whistle from beside him, but luckily for her, the older warrior swats them over the head in annoyance.

What startles Clarke is that the wolf that Lexa had just fighting shifts too, into a human… who also has a pair of light brown wings.

"There are more?" Clarke mutters to herself as she watches the stark naked women stare at each other for a brief second before bursting into a raucous laughter. They step forward and embrace, obviously nonchalant about their nudity before they both walk over, the remaining wolves following dutifully. As they approach, Clarke begins to notice the similarities between the two, notably their hair colour and charming smirk. For a moment, Clarke is confused.

"Um," she stutters as she tries to avoid looking at Lexa or the other woman in an inappropriate way. "Commander?"

"Ah, Clarke," Lexa chuckles with a rasp, a twinkle in her eye as she points to the woman beside her, "this is my sister, Luna."

"Your sister?" Clarke asks as she looks to the honey-eyed woman. "Oh… well, hi."

"So they really weren't gonna fuck? That's a bit of a let down, really." Bellamy's voice is a small mutter, his tone almost laced in disappointment. Clarke grinds her teeth in frustration at the lewd comment and even though it's amusing that she can practically _hear_ the pout in his words, something makes her feel… possessive and rather protective of Lexa. Her annoyance at the boy is lifted when she hears a smack and then a groan come from Bellamy's lips, followed by a mumbled apology. She doesn't have to turn around to know that the star-scarred woman had hit the back of his head. Instead of focusing on the clearly one-tracked mind behind her, Clarke extends her hand out towards Luna and offers a nervous smile. "It's wonderful to meet you, Luna."

"You're more beautiful in person, Clarke of the Sky People. I am honoured to finally meet you," Luna says with a charming smirk, dipping her head as she takes Clarke's extended hand and presses a kiss to her knuckles. Clarke blushes, but Lexa looks less than pleased if the warning growl she emits is anything to go by. Luna only shakes her head and chuckles as she lets go of her hand and steps back slightly to make sure Lexa knows that she doesn't have any wrong intentions.

" _Chil au_ , _biga-sis_ ," Luna barks out a laugh as she shoves her sister a little, " _em laik yun._ "

Lexa growls again at her words, none of which Clarke understood, but a tint arises to her face so the blonde assumes it must have been something embarrassing. After an awkward moment of silence, Lexa clears her throat and nods towards the gates. Before she can go any further, one of the warriors comes up and hands both of the sisters a set of clothes. For a minute, the hybrids raise their brows in confusion, but the guard nods to the people behind them, insinuating that it was for the Sky People's benefit more than anything. Lexa gruffly mutters a thank you before she and Luna change into the clothes.

After they're done, the duo lead the remainder of their people back towards Polis. The massive gates swing open to reveal a buzzing market place and beautiful old houses. They walk through, with the people coming to stand at the mouth of the gates, cheering as their Commander approaches. Shouts of ' _Heda_ ' and ' _Commander_ ' come from every angle, but instead of basking in the glory of being called out, Lexa smiles politely and waves. Every now and again she stops to shake hands with a few of the people, assist some of the elderly, or accept a homemade gift from a child that had scurried forwards to greet her.

As they pave their way through the city, the markets begin to recede and larger buildings begin to appear. Assuming that this is the divide between common folk and the upper class, Clarke holds herself a little more cautious, especially when she sees some of the people scowl and mutter at their presence. Almost as though sensing her discomfort, Lexa's chest rumbles with a warning growl and the people bow their heads apologetically. Clarke inches forward to the older woman, her eyes glued to the shifting of those black feathers as they finally reach the tower that Lexa apparently resided in. Luna notices her awed look and smiles. She steps back and crosses her hands behind her back, puffing out her chest and letting her feathers shift outwards slightly.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Luna asks with a smile, her voice soft and sultry. "Lexa lives at the top of the tower."

Clarke frowns, turning to face her. "Do you not live here?"

"No," Luna chuckles with a rasp, "my clan is at the sea. I have not seen her for many years now. I rule the waters, Lexa rules the ground."

"And who rules the sky?" Clarke asks with a bit of a joking tone, clearly not being serious. Luna, however, loses her charming attitude and glares into the ground. Her feathers ruffle and Clarke can sense the discomfort coming off of her in waves. Clarke hangs her head and curses herself for being over-curious.

"Becca," Luna finally replies as she scowls out the name, "our eldest sister."

"There are three of you?"

" _Sha_ ," Luna says with a nod. "Becca is the eldest, then Lexa. I am the youngest, and the most good-looking if you ask me."

"As if," Lexa's voice snorts from in front of them. "The pigs in the pen look better than you."

Luna growls at her sister in annoyance, but Lexa just glances over her shoulder to flash Clarke a wry grin. "We all know it is _I_ that fairs the best."

The two sisters begin growling and shoving each other playfully, before finally they break apart with a lighthearted sparkle in their eyes. Before they reach the gates of the tower, Lexa turns around to face the convoy of people, her back straight and feathers plumed outwards in a show of authority. Her chin jerks upwards and those stormy green eyes rake over the sea of Sky People that stare back at her in both awe and a tinge of caution.

"Welcome to Polis, people of the sky. You will be given shelter in the presidium until further notice. The guards will lead you to your respective rooms now, and tomorrow we will welcome you all to a feast to celebrate your arrival," Lexa announces proudly, nodding at the children before looking at Clarke. "Your leader will come with us to discuss terms and negotiations for when the rest of your people arrive." Clarke gulps and looks over at Bellamy, who shrugs at her.

"In case it's not clear," Lexa growls, narrowing her eyes at Bellamy. " _Klark kom Skaïkru_ is your leader."

Clarke isn't sure whether to be wary or happy at the fluttering in her chest when Lexa smiles at her proudly.

"Alright," Bellamy gruffly answers, his tone indicating that his pride has taken a blow but he's not willing to fight the hybrid. "We'll go. I trust Clarke."

"As you should," Lexa counters, her gaze never dropping. Beside her, Luna conceals a barely hidden eye-roll. "Now disperse, we will meet later."

Bellamy doesn't argue as the guards take the children away and to their residency. Lexa smiles as soon as they are herded back towards the presidium, before turning to Clarke with a nod. The blonde woman gulps nervously, her hands wrung tightly in front of her stomach. She sucks in a deep breath and swallows. Lexa's feathers ruffle before her wings droop a little so they're more relaxed. A warm smile adorns her pink lips as she gestures towards the elevator with Luna.

"Come, Clarke. We have much to discuss." 

x-x-x-x

"So, the Ark is coming down?"

Clarke asks the question in a small voice, watching as Lexa and Luna both sit down on their chairs at the head of the wooden table. Each of them reach for a goblet of wine to offer at Clarke. Luna allows Lexa to give it to her with a teasing look in her eyes, but doesn't hesitate to give Clarke an answer to her question.

"A month from now," Luna says as she takes her own goblet and relaxes in her seat. "Your mother will be at the helm."

"Wait," Clarke says as she takes a seat, placing a hand to her forehead in confusion. "Just… _how_ exactly do you know all of this again?"

"We were sent here to protect humanity," Lexa answers calmly, the tease having left her voice in place of seriousness instead. "The world was drowning in war and epidemics. We were sent to salvage what remained and preserve life." Clarke digests the information slowly, wringing her hands around the cup.

"And your sister?" Clarke asks, brows scrunched up in confusion. Lexa sighs and looks away.

"Becca was… different. Humanity's disgraceful acts of wars and injustice drove her to an unforgivable rage. She thought it'd be best to start over again, to restart humanity. Luna and I never wanted to have that level of control. We are not Gods. We do not govern the fate of the human race, and yet Becca thought that it was her duty to make choices that were not rightfully hers to make. She took her power too far and it resulted in a global genocide," Lexa responds solemnly, her eyes narrowing in centred rage at the memory. "We never wanted to take control. We were simply there to mediate and help." Luna nods, sighing deeply.

"Lexa and I knew of Becca's plans to initiate the nuclear destruction and so we sought out a solution. We found a team of engineers that worked into building the space city you call the Ark. We crafted thirteen stations to send to space, but once Becca caught onto our plan, she grew furious and retaliated. She murdered the engineers and sent a bomb to the work station to destroy the crafts." Luna's voice is heavy with remorse and sorrow, her wings drooping a little as her head bows. She swallows thickly before continuing her explanation. Lexa's gaze softens as she looks over to her sister with a pang of sympathy.

"Lexa flew out and stopped it, flying up to meet the missile and send back where it came from. I helped the remaining families escape into the Ark while my sisters fought. In the process, Lexa was severely injured and Becca got away, threatening to wage war with the remainder of those who'd survived the bombings as a result of our disobedience. We only managed to send twelve of the thirteen crafts to space. The thirteenth station was destroyed in the explosions. Those who'd built bomb shelters were miraculously saved, but a few of them grew mutations due to the radiation exposure. Some have physical deformities, others are shape-shifters. It all depends on the clans and where they're located." Clarke gulps, her eyes misting as Luna looks up with a defeated glance.

"We failed," Lexa murmurs as she slumps in her seat. "But we do not intend to make the same mistake again."

"Again?" Clarke asks, aghast. "What do you mean again?"

Lexa and Luna exchange a glance before the latter bites her lip and inches forward.

"Becca is coming back," Luna says with a slight growl. "She knows of humanity's progress. She knows of the survivors from the first reaping."

"And?" Clarke rasps out the word dryly. Lexa's eyes narrow as she curls her fingers into tight fists upon the mahogany table.

"And she wishes to do it all over again," Lexa snarls in distaste, "she wishes to take back power into her own hands."

"So what happens to us?" Clarke asks, looking between them. Lexa and Luna look at each other before back at Clarke with a resolute, unified nod.

"We will fight back," Lexa tells her sternly, though there's a flicker of sadness in those mossy green eyes. "And if we must, we will kill her."

x-x-x-x

"This is your room," Luna says as she guides Clarke to a massive bedroom with ornate doors and golden handles. Clarke nods as Luna leads her inside to show her the huge bed adorned with a few types of bear furs and four pillows. There's a giant bath in the corner of the room, alongside a few shelves of supplies Clarke assumes is for her hair and body. There are a few hundred candles littered around the bed and upon the desk by the side of the mattress.

"Thanks for bringing me here," Clarke replies as she looks around the room. A sad laugh escapes her dry throat. "You know, with the world ending and all."

"Lexa and I will do everything in our power to prevent it, Clarke. We cannot let Becca win again," Luna tells her sternly, her wings giving a tiny shudder at her words. Clarke's gaze flickers upwards and she smiles at the determined look in Luna's hazel eyes.

"You and Lexa are close, I presume?" Clarke asks fondly. Luna's seriousness disappears, replaced by a tentative smile and shy nod.

"She is my best friend," Luna admits freely, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. "She saved my life many times, often with disregard to her own."

"What happened to her?" Clarke asks, swallowing a lump in her throat. "When you said that she was injured?"

Luna's expression grows dark, like she's being asked to pick a scab off a festered wound. Clarke is about to tell her that she doesn't need to know, but Luna draws up the courage to speak. Her wings droop again with her sadness and she runs a hand through her wild chestnut curls.

"The force of the blast from the missile burned through her skin and wings. She'd used them to protect her face, but they'd been destroyed in the process. Her body is littered with scarring from the flames and radiation. It -- the _radiation_ \-- altered her ability to regenerate. We are not immortal, Clarke. As Lexa told you, we are not Gods. We are stronger than the average human, faster, more agile, are blessed with longevity and the ability to shift, but we are not invincible. Lexa… she proved it on that fateful day." Luna's voice cracks and tears mist in her eyes, looking away when she finishes the last sentence.

"How did she heal?" Clarke asks, confused by what Luna's told her about the regeneration. "If she couldn't do it herself, how did she get better?"

Luna's eyes grow guarded and she shifts on her feet. Finally, she sighs and looks down. "That is not for me to tell, Clarke. I've already said enough."

"You're worried about this war," Clarke states the obvious, drawing Luna's gaze back upwards. "You don't want to lose Lexa."

"I will not lose her," Luna adamantly growls, her wings fluttering at her words. "Even if it means the cessation of my own life. Lexa is _Heda_."

"What is _Heda_?" 

"Commander," Luna translates in English, "she is the leader of the twelve, soon to be thirteen, clans. The world relies on her, Clarke. Not me."

"I'm sure that's not true," Clarke replies, reaching out to lightly place her hand on Luna's shoulder. "You both have the same power."

Luna chuckles dryly and offers Clarke a wry smirk, shaking her head. "No, _Prisa_. That is where you are wrong."

Clarke cocks her head, but Luna doesn't offer another answer other than a small nod of her head, gesturing towards the room.

"Sleep well, Clarke. Tomorrow will be a long day," Luna bids her a farewell with a fond smile. "Do not be late. Lexa is not one for tardiness."

x-x-x-x

That night, Clarke dreams of fire and war, of screaming and destruction.

She dreams of death.

When she awakes, screaming and panting from fear, her mind immediately wanders to the thoughts of only one person.

 _Lexa_.

She's restless and tired from tossing and turning, so Clarke decides to take a walk towards the gardens behind the tower. The moon is shining brightly down upon them in a crescent shape, causing the flora to have a metallic glow to their petals. Clarke hums in appreciation of the sight, striding over to a bench. She takes a seat and stares at the gardens, at the roses and daffodils and thinks to herself how drastically things have changed in the last day and a half.

Her thoughts are interrupted by barking and growling. Clarke's head snaps upwards to see Lexa's wolf and Luna's wolf chasing each other through the fields behind the garden. Both of them look like excited puppies as they chase and tackle each other, brushing up against each other's fur and panting happily. They nip and shove at each other until the both of them collapse on the ground, huffing and snuggling up against each other. Clarke recognizes the familiar black pelt of Lexa's fur trapped under Luna's smaller, brown-pelted frame. Lexa's tongue darts out to lick between her sister's ears, earning a happy whine from the other wolf. The two of them continue their affectionate touches in their own bubble of peace and comfort, and something stirs in Clarke that makes her smile.

With a content sigh, she rises and casts one final look back at the two wolves curled up beside each other, and then heads back to the tower.

This time when she falls asleep, she doesn't dream of blood or death.

She dreams of peace.

x-x-x-x

_So… Clarke._

Lexa groans as she rolls over to her side and runs her tongue over her muzzle to wet it. Luna happily pants beside her, those hazel eyes brimming with a good-natured tease. Whining, Lexa moves her head to the other side and tries to avoid her sister's gaze. Luna rolls a little, trying to nudge the underside of Lexa's jaw with her muzzle before letting out a soft, comforting purr. Lexa nips at her sister's ear with a growl before letting her jaw rest on her massive paws.

_Shut up, Luna._

Luna barks out a laugh and rests her head on one of Lexa's haunches, her eyes closing and tail swishing as she purrs in contentment.

_Don't be mad at me. You're smitten and it's barely been a week._

Lexa whines and huffs. _I cannot help it. She has the other half of my soul,_ strik-sis _. She carries my heart with her. She will be the death of me._

An eye roll goes unnoticed by the black wolf as Luna groans and nudges her sister's haunches. _Always melodramatic, aren't you? Just be happy, sister._

 _I am_ , Lexa growls back. _I am happy that Clarke has come and that we can be together again, but you know what else that means._

Luna's scent goes from settled to solemn at the tail-end of Lexa's response. She huffs a sigh and whines, _I know._

That night, as they sleep curled up against each other under the stars, Lexa can't stop thinking about Clarke. Her heart flutters in her chest and her tail involuntarily wags out of excitement when she thinks about her mate. She inches close to Luna and closes her eyes, focussing on the sound of her sister's even breathing and soft snores before she wills herself to slumber. The two wolves lay beside each other, tails intertwined and fur pressed against each other's sides.

All Lexa dreams of is Clarke, and for once in her entire lifetime, her sleep is undisturbed by night terrors.

x-x-x-x

"So how old are they?" Bellamy asks Clarke as they settle down for breakfast. Clarke looks over at him before reaching out to snag a piece of meat from his plate. They both take their seats at the table in the great hall, with Bellamy taking a seat next to Octavia and Clarke plopping down to the space-walker, Finn.

"Lexa's one hundred and eight apparently," Clarke says as she chews on her meat. "I don't know about her sister, Luna. Lexa's the middle child."

"They're more of them?" Finn asks, eyes wide. "How many?"

"They just have one older sister," Clarke replies with a swallow, reaching for her cup of water. "Becca. She's her own story, though." Not wanting to reveal what Lexa and Luna had told her, she decides to play the latter half of her response off with a nonchalant shrug, hoping neither of the boys would question her.

"For someone who's one hundred and eight years old, she doesn't seem entirely… um… well… _old_ ," Bellamy stutters as they look up to see the two sisters striding in, shoulders bumping and brushing. Behind them walks a tall man with a bushy beard and a skinnier, smaller bald man with tattoos on his head. They escort the sisters to the food and sit down across from them, talking animately about something. Luna looks disinterested, while Lexa looks annoyed.

"That's because they are not old, boy." A gruff voice startles Bellamy and the three friends turn to see the grumpy-faced tall warrior from the other day.

"Um, who are you?" Finn asks, gulping as he eyes those sharp cheekbones. The warrior huffs and rolls her eyes.

"You may call me Anya," she replies with a bored look. "I am Heda's advisor and mentor."

"But she's one hundred and eight," Clarke says confusedly. "Aren't you a little… uh, young to be her mentor?"

Anya practically snorts and crosses her arms, nodding towards the commander. "They are barely adolescents, _Prisa_. Their age is old in our species only."

"So you're being lead by a one hundred and eight year old kid," Bellamy finishes with a frown. "And you're okay with that?" Anya mutters something under breath in her native language, but before she can respond, the scar-laden warrior who was as equally terrifying-looking comes to her side and glares at the Sky kids. Beside her is the taller man that had been previously guarding Octavia during the tense moment before the arrival of Lexa's sister.

"Indra," Anya greets with a gruff voice and short nod. "Another good morning, I'm assuming?" The other woman, Indra, only growls and rolls her eyes.

"Hi Lincoln," Octavia chirps from behind Bellamy, gawking at the warrior beside Indra. Both warriors raise their brows and watch as Lincoln blushes and nods his head towards the younger woman, much to the dislike of the older Blake sibling. He holds up his hand and waves to her, a gentle smile parting his dark lips.

" _Heya_ ," he replies gently. Anya grunts something under her breath and Lincoln frowns, but he doesn't snap at her. Instead, he keeps his stare glued to a star-struck looking Octavia. Clarke shakes off the weird sense of shock and turns to face Anya again, deciding she'll wait until she's alone with Octavia to ask questions about the mysterious warrior she's somehow acquainted herself with since their arrival. She looks up at the grumpy woman with a cocked brow.

"How long have you mentored Lexa?" She asks curiously, reaching for another piece of meat from her plate. Anya sighs, rubbing her jaw lightly.

"Seven and a half years," Anya says as she crosses and uncrosses her arms, "she needed to know about how humans worked. How we functioned and lived our lives. She devoted herself to becoming one of the people, and for years she's been accepted as their leader despite her many differences from them. She was barely older than a child when she started learning to lead, and I was hitting the edge of my adolescence. Due to the radiation, my lifespan is longer than you think, Sky Princess. I am not as old as you may see me to be. I am not as ' _old_ ' as Lexa, but my age succeeds the average lifespan of a human."

"Which is an elaborate way of saying that you're part wolf, too." Indra's response is straight to the point and followed by another eye-roll. Anya grunts and lets out a small, annoyed growl in the older woman's direction. "Most of us are, especially in the capital. The wolf gene elongates our lifespan and prevents serious injuries from felling us in battle. It is a mutation that only few are graced with, however." Clarke hums and digests the information slowly, letting out a small sigh of understanding. Her eyes follow Lexa's frame from across the hall to where she's now arguing with the bald man while Luna holds back a smirk.

Lexa's wings are curled outwards slightly, and from the few nature documentaries Clarke had seen during her Earth Skills class, she knows that the hybrid is agitated by something that the bald man is saying. Her teeth are pliant and her lips are curled into a snarl. Luna's playful expression soon drops into an aggressive-looking growl when the bald man says something low and spiteful. The bearded man even grunts in disapproval, stepping up to side with Lexa.

"What's going on over there?" Finn asks, chewing on a piece of bread. "Looks like Baldy is about to be breakfast."

"Titus," Anya mutters under her breath as she uncrosses her arms and glances at an equally annoyed Indra, "this can't be good."

"Who's Titus?" Bellamy asks, looking over at the three scowling warriors and the bald man. "Is he one of them too?"

"No," Indra retorts sharply before she moves away from the table and goes to follow the bald man, who's now retreated. Anya gives Bellamy a pointed look before shortly replying, "he's just an ass." Bellamy goes to reply when Anya's eyes dart upwards at the entrance of Raven limping in from the front of the doors. A small, tinted blush crawls over the warriors face as she gruffly makes out an excuse before striding over towards the brunette with her chest puffed out.

"Did anyone else just see that or was it only me?" Finn asks, aghast as he stares at the warrior now talking to a tired-looking Raven. Bellamy snorts.

"I still think I'm in a dream, Finn. I couldn't tell you right from wrong if it hit me dead in the face right now," he mutters in response, looking to his food. He digs in again and leaves Finn to chat with Octavia and some of the other delinquents seated at the table. Wells takes a seat on the opposite side of him, but doesn't talk much. He avoids Clarke's smouldering glare and sticks to eating his food in a blissful silence. His eyes are laced with fatigue, but he manages to stay alert.

Clarke, however, has her stare glued to the two hybrids at the other end of the hall. Lexa and Luna are now discussing something in their native tongue, their mouthes moving quickly and sharply as they argue over their meeting with the bald man, Titus. Lexa's green eyes are a storm of conflicting emotions, her wings pulled taut to her back as if in preparation to snap anytime soon. Luna's hand lays itself upon Lexa's tense shoulder and the older woman visibly relaxes before she lets her wings droop back down to a neutral position. Those black feathers ruffle and shift every now and again, but she doesn't seem as agitated.

And then, Clarke's heart stops beating when Lexa's eyes shift upwards and meet her own from across the room.

In that moment, when blue meets green, the world comes to a standstill and everything Clarke's ever known flies out the window.

In that moment, all her mind and body knows is _Lexa_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me about my writing-and-not-finishing tendencies at my tumblr @ a-class-act-president. I am a little shit and I know it, but sometimes the mood strikes and I just gotta write it. For that, I truly apologize, lol.
> 
> Thank you for reading and much love, xx.


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